Last Christmas
by snowdrick
Summary: Beca never liked Christmas, that was until a certain redhead entered her life.


Chloe loved Christmas. My God, she loved it. Every November 1st, the paper pumpkins and cob webs came down and the multicoloured fairly lights went up. The redhead treated it like a military operation, she'd have Beca in the attic first thing in the morning to retrieve the Christmas decorations and then they'd spend the rest of the morning turning their LA home into a winter wonderland. In the afternoon, Chloe would spend hours baking Christmas goodies for Beca as a 'I'm sorry for dragging your ass out of bed so early but I love Christmas and I know you love my gingerbread' gift.

On the other hand, Beca wasn't too keen on the whole Christmas thing. Before Christmas with Chloe, she dreaded the festive period. There was always arguing in the Mitchell household, but at Christmas there was significantly more. But with Chloe, hating Christmas wasn't a thing. When Beca originally told the redhead that she disliked the holiday, Chloe looked like someone had just taken a puppy's favourite toy away from them. The brunette couldn't bear to see Chloe pull that face ever again, so she learned to love Christmas. Except from the stupid pink Christmas tree that Chloe made her buy.

Beca would often come home to a dancing redhead and the smell of gingerbread. Christmas was special to Chloe, so when she fell ill, Beca took it upon herself to be the chief gingerbread baker. Of course it never reached the godlike standards of Chloe's but it was something. The redhead sat in Beca's armchair for a couple of hours attached to an IV, watching the LA world go by, wishing she could muster up the strength to go bake and dance with Beca in the kitchen.

When Chloe's oncologist told the couple that Chloe wouldn't make it to Christmas, Beca decided that they'd have Christmas in August. One evening after work, the tiny brunette had stopped off at almost every store in their area to hunt for new Christmas decorations. When she explained her situation to the store manager at Walmart, he personally went looking in the back for anything Christmassy. He didn't manage to find much, but she came away with new fairy lights, baubles and reindeer ornaments.

Whilst the redhead was on a day out with Aubrey, Beca managed to turn their crappy home into their own version of Lapland. After nearly breaking both her legs, she managed to get in their attic without Chloe's assistance to retrieve the decorations and the revolting pink Christmas tree. Beca put their proper tree up in one corner of their living room but didn't decorate it so they could do it together once Chloe returned.

Chloe's face lit up like a literal child on Christmas morning when she returned home with Aubrey. Those dull, tired eyes became the glistening ocean blues that Beca once knew. Aubrey wheeled the redhead into the living room and helped her onto the sofa.

"You did this all for me?" she asked, marvelling their winter wonderland. "There's more." Beca smiled and switched the fairy lights on. The entire room was lit up with soft twinkling lights; even Aubrey Posen seemed impressed with DJ's efforts. Quiet Christmas pop music was playing in the background, the songs that Chloe taught the brunette to love. The one's that Beca used to complain about, the ones she'd roll her eyes to. If eighteen-year-old badass Beca Mitchell could see twenty-eight-year-old softie Beca Mitchell, she'd cringe.

Aubrey stayed that evening to help decorate the tree, and to help Beca clean up. They sang loudly, they ate plenty and they watched Chloe's favourite Christmas movies until they all fell asleep together of the sofa. The brunette was the first to wake, so she gently carried her girlfriend to bed and tucked her in. Beca sat at the end of the bed and watched the redhead sleep. It was one of the only times that Chloe looked like she was peaceful, and not in any pain. Before the C word happened, Chloe was an enthusiastic and bubbly ball of energy, one of those people who were constantly cheerful, no matter what. The redhead didn't have it in her to be constantly cheerful anymore, she didn't have the strength but she tried, My God, she tried.

The blonde stood in the doorway, trying to keep her tears from spilling. She moved towards Beca and held out her hand for her. "Come on, you need to sleep." Aubrey told her. The brunette sniffed and nodded, taking the blonde's hand and standing up. Beca was exhausted; it had been an exhausting and painful year for everyone. "Me and Stacie are taking Chlo to her appointment tomorrow, sleep in, you need it," Aubrey said sternly. The brunette knew by now not to argue with Aubrey, so she simply nodded and hugged her friend. "Thank you, Bree," She smiled softly. The blonde smiled back and retired home for the night. Before she went to bed, she went to kiss her girlfriend goodnight, like she did every night.

Then along came the most excruciating morning Beca had ever faced.

Beca's alarm clock rang at 8:00am; she sighed when reality hit her, wishing she could go back to her dream where everything was more than perfect. She lay in bed fantasising what things could be, until she finally got up at 8:24am. As much as she'd love to follow Aubrey's commands and stay in bed, the brunette physically couldn't do it to herself. She needed to be up, to be productive and distracted. She had her morning coffee and headed to Chloe's room to wake her up.

"Wakey wakey," Beca smiled and opened the blind, and then turning to get Chloe's wheelchair positioned so she could take her to the bathroom. "Beale, you know I hate to do this to you but Lord Commander Posen is coming over in less than an hour to take you to your appointment so you got to be up," She added. Usually, Beca would've at least got a groan or a soft chuckle of the redhead, but instead she got nothing.

"Chlo, c'mon," Beca said. "Chloe?" She asked and gently shook her.

It hit Beca, it her like a fucking truck.

She cried and she cried. Stacie found her sat with her knees up against her chest, her cheeks stinging from the tears. Stacie shouted for Aubrey, who came running in. Aubrey lost it too, falling to the ground next to Beca and pulling her into her arms.


End file.
